Washington, D.C
Mayor Bowser celebrates federal funding deal that gives DC control of RFK stadium site – WTOP News
Mayor Muriel Bowser joined WTOP to talk about the legislation that would transfer the land of the old RFK Stadium to the District and her efforts to bring the Washington Commanders back to D.C.
As lawmakers on Capitol Hill come to terms on a stopgap funding bill, one provision could bring the Washington Commanders back to the team’s old stomping grounds in Northeast, D.C.
Mayor Muriel Bowser is celebrating the bill after years of pushing to bring the team back to D.C.
The legislation, which is expected to pass, would transfer the land of the old RFK Stadium in Northeast from the federal government to the District.
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Bowser joined WTOP anchors John Aaron and Michelle Basch to talk about the bill and her efforts to bring the team back to D.C.
Listen to the full interview below or read the transcript, which has been lightly edited for clarity.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser talks about the funding bill with WTOP anchors John Aaron and Michelle Basch.
John Aaron: You’ve called the legislation a giant step forward. It seems like this was the biggest hurdle to getting a stadium back in that spot, was it?
Muriel Bowser: Well, it’s been a hurdle to for the District to get control of 177 acres that’s been sitting blighted and vacant for several years now. And we think in 177 acres, you can do quite a lot, and we have been restricted in how we can use it because of our lease to only a stadium use. What this legislation would do is give us control and the ability to develop multiple uses, including a world class stadium.
Michelle Basch: So if this bill passes in Congress, as expected, what’s the timeline here? What comes next?
Muriel Bowser: Well, we’re going to have conversations in D.C. with our policy makers. We’re developing a great plan for the site that we will be very anxious to present. We’ll sit down in earnest with the team, talk about our joint goals, and we will be demolishing the current stadium on the RFK site.
John Aaron: What were your conversations like with lawmakers, and how did you get members of both parties on board with this idea when they can’t seem to agree on anything?
Muriel Bowser: I know it’s been an amazing, amazing kind of story, I think. We sat down. I went early on for a hearing with Congressman (James) Comer in the Oversight Committee, and I think they were expecting to talk about crime, and we were expecting to talk about how they could help us. And I have to give a lot of credit to (James) Comer. He said he would help us, and he did. He introduced a piece of legislation with Congresswoman (Eleanor Holmes) Norton, and he has been with us every step of the way. So we had one of the most comical committee votes I’ve ever seen. People that never agree on anything, agreed that Washington, D.C. should step into place for the National Park Service, develop this land, control our destiny and create a lot of jobs and opportunities for D.C. residents and our visitors.
Michelle Basch: Can we also talk about the Council making the final approval to keep Capital One Arena upgraded and keep the Caps and Wizards in the cities?
Muriel Bowser: Yes. It’s been an amazing kind of a year. Somebody mentioned to me that last year, this time, we were concerned that the Wizards and Caps would leave. Yesterday, the council approved my legislation that it allows us to buy Cap One Arena and keeps the Wizards and the Caps playing in Washington, D.C. until at least 2050 and our landmark legislation that gives us control of the RFK site is almost passed. It was agreed upon, and we expect it to pass this week.
John Aaron: Of course, there’s the issue of paying for all of the upgrades to the RFK Stadium site. How would that work?
Muriel Bowser: Well, it’s going to work like all of our major developments work, like the Wharf, like Walter Reed, like St. Elizabeth. Whether we have a stadium there or not, the District is going to be a partner in the redevelopment. And so we always go in, we create a great plan, likely we support the development of the infrastructure, and we look for a great development partner that helps us realize our vision for housing and jobs and recreation. What people don’t often mention, and I’m reading all the press coverage today about this site, is it’s on the banks of the Anacostia River, and right now, our residents don’t have great connections. This legislation also requires us, and we’re very happy to comply, with having 30% of the parcel be park space. So we’re going to get a lot of recreation space. I’ve already committed that the District would support our own indoor sports complex for our kids to have indoor track and other activities. And you know, we have a lot of space to meet the goals of our communities.
Michelle Basch: Anything else you want our listeners to know this morning (on) such big news?
Muriel Bowser: Huge news. And I just want to say it’s just a win, win, we think, for the region, and it’s going to allow us to create jobs and attract the types of events to our region that we haven’t been able to attract. Imagine if we were able to have a Super Bowl here, the World Cup, Taylor Swift concerts. All of those things that have passed by our 4 million plus person region can be served at the RFK campus.
John Aaron: All right, that is some big thinking. Thank you. Mayor Bowser, we appreciate it.
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A Virginia boater is suing a Washington water utility for negligence in the collapse of a pipe that leaked millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River.
The class action lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, comes weeks after a January sewage pipe collapse, shooting wastewater out of the ground and into the river in an area just north of Washington, D.C. The spill is seen as a serious environmental blight and became the focus of political bickering between President Donald Trump and Democratic-led Maryland, where the leak occurred.
Dr. Nicholas Lailas, M.D., the plaintiff, is a Virginia resident and recreational boat user on the Potomac who is seeking compensation for people “whose property interests in and use and enjoyment of the Potomac River … have been impaired by Defendant’s conduct.”
The lawsuit alleges that it was DC Water’s responsibility as the owner and operator of the ruptured pipe, known as the Potomac Interceptor, to maintain it in a “reasonably safe condition and to prevent foreseeable harm to persons and property.”
The lawsuit said that preliminary data indicate that there are thousands of people who own property or vessels in the affected parts of the Potomac.
Andrew Levetown, an attorney for the plaintiff, said in an interview Monday that it will take time to get the full breadth of the class, with business owners, property owners and recreational users all having interest in the potential damages caused by the Jan. 19 collapse and leak.
“You’re going to have businesses who lose business because instead of sitting next to the Potomac, their clients are sitting next to the open sewer,” he said.
The suit did not specify a damage amount. DC Water spokesperson John Lisle said in a statement that the collapse of the Potomac Interceptor was “a serious and unexpected event, and our teams remain focused on the response, environmental protection, and restoration efforts. Because this matter is currently subject to ongoing litigation, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this time.”
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared an emergency Feb. 18 and requested that President Donald Trump provide federal resources to help the city fight the leak that dumped 250 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River in its early stages. The president approved the emergency assistance days later to help the city address the emergency.
DC Water gave its most detailed assessment yet of why the Potomac River sewage spill occurred and what it will take to fix it. News4’s Mark Segraves reports.
DC Water said it knew the pipe, first installed in the 1960s, was deteriorating, and rehabilitation work on a section about a quarter-mile (400 meters) from the break began in September and was recently completed. The pipe that ruptured was scheduled for repair this summer.
DC Water’s updates say the emergency repairs are beyond the halfway point and there are no flows into the river.
At a public briefing last week, officials with the utility said they were assessing the cause of the rupture, including whether the way the pipeline was initially constructed contributed to the emergency. David Gadis, the CEO of DC Water, said at that briefing that while it was too early to say definitively, “we are seeing indication that this incident may have been highly unusual.”
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WASHINGTON — Get ready to start your engines, DC.
Officials unveiled the 1.66-mile circuit route Monday, where race cars will be zooming around the National Mall in August for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in celebration of America’s birthday.
The seven‑turn layout features views of the Washington Monument, US Capitol, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, and part of Pennsylvania Avenue, IndyCar announced.
“This was a team effort,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. “It’s Penske, it’s FOX, it’s the mayor, it’s Interior, it’s everybody else joining together not to make a profit, not to get your name out there but to say, let’s celebrate America.”
“Let’s celebrate America’s birthday.”
The first-ever street race around the National Mall will take place from Aug. 22-23, with the course itself set to be built up during the summer.
Drivers will also blast past the National Archives, the National Gallery of Art, and the Hirshhorn Museum, with a pit lane on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Officials debuted a red, white, and blue “Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar” design Monday to honor the upcoming 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
“We want people to plan their trips to D.C. now,” DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said. “Come for the Freedom 250, and then stay to enjoy our monuments and museums, our beautiful parks, world-class restaurants and hotels, and all the culture and entertainment that make us the best city in the world.”
President Trump took executive action back in January, tasking Duffy and Secretary of the Interior Sean Duffy to coordinate with Bowser on planning the feted event.
“The story of America is one of vision, courage, perseverance – and speed,” Monica Crowley, Trump’s representative for America’s 250th, said in a statement.
“Presidents Washington and Jefferson marked notable celebrations with spirited horse races; the Freedom 250 race will bring that historic tradition into the 21st century and renew a tremendous sense of patriotic pride.”
Trump’s team is eyeing other major sports events to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, including a UFC fight at the White House. The US is also co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup over the summer.
Washington, D.C
Storm Team4 forecast, Enjoy a pleasant start to the week with temperatures in the 70s
4 things to know about the weather:
- “May” not “March” for now
- Next rain late Wednesday, Thursday
- Back to average by Friday
- Much colder next Week
The warmer weather we’ve waited months for will be with us for only three more days before the March Lion starts to roar again.
Monday and Tuesday will be the best days of the week by far. Sunny skies and temperatures running 20-25° above average. Plan for highs reaching the low 70s Monday and near 80° on Tuesday.
A series of cold fronts later in the week will send temperatures back to average 54° by the end of the week and then well below average for most of next week.
Clouds will return by Wednesday morning and rain chances will arrive no later than sunset. Wednesday will still be close to 80° and have our first taste of humidity in a while. Rain is likely from Wednesday evening through noon on Thursday as our first cold front arrives.
Thursday’s highs, likely near 70°, will occur before sunrise but gusty northwest winds will have temperatures falling steadily throughout the day. Expect temperatures in the 50s, rain for the morning commute and 40s with rain ending for the ride home.
Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.
Warm streak won’t last long
The good news is that Friday and the upcoming weekend look dry. Highs will be back in the mid-50s for Friday and Saturday but Sunday should get back into the mid-60s.
Another cold front will arrive early next week leading to temperatures running 10-15° below average. It’s also not entirely out of the question that there could be a wet snowflake or two on St. Patrick’s Day.
The return of the cold air next week will keep the cherry trees at bay so the odds of peak bloom occurring in March, like it has the last five to six years in a row, are looking slim at best.
QuickCast
MONDAY:
Mostly Sunny
Nice And Warm
Light Breeze
Wind: Southwest 5-10 mph
Chance of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 68° to 74°
MONDAY NIGHT:
Clear Skies
Remaining Mild
Patchy Areas Of Fog
Wind: Variable 5 mph
Chance Of Rain: 0%
LOWS: 46° to 52°
TUESDAY:
Mostly Sunny
Near Record Warmth
Light Breeze
Wind: Southwest 5-10 mph
Chance of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 76° to 82°
WEDNESDAY:
Breezy, Warm And Humid
Increasing Clouds
Showers By Evening
Wind: Southwest 10-25mph
Chance of Rain: 40%
HIGHS: 75° to 80°
THURSDAY:
Cloudy, Windy, Much Colder
Rain Likely Before 2pm
Falling Temperatures
Wind: Northwest 20-35 mph
Chance of Rain: 80%
HIGHS: 65° to 45°
Sunrise: 7:29 Sunset: 7:09
Average High: 54° Average Low: 37°
Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.
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